Use of fermented wheat germ in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease

Abstract

The present invention provides a fermented dried material derived from the fermented liquid obtainable by fermenting wheat germ with Saccharomyces cerevisiae in an aqueous medium for use in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease. Methods of treating and/or preventing an inflammatory bowel disease are also described.

1 - 2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . A method of treating and/or preventing an inflammatory bowel disease comprising administering the fermented dried material derived from the fermented liquid obtainable by fermenting wheatgerm with  Saccharomyces cerevisiae  in an aqueous medium, or fractions thereof, to a subject in need thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein said inflammatory bowel disease is selected from the group consisting of: Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, Collagenous colitis, Lymphocytic colitis, Ischaemic colitis, Diversion colitis, Behçet's disease and Indeterminate colitis. 
     
     
         5 - 6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . A method of treating an inflammatory bowel disease in a subject, the method comprising the step of administering a dried fermentation extract or a fraction thereof to the subject, wherein the dried fermentation extract is made by a process comprising the steps of: (i) fermenting a mixture comprising water, wheatgerm, and a yeast selected from the group consisting of:  Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Saccharomyces bayanus,  and  Saccharomyces boular  for about 10-24 hours at about 25-35° C. to yield fermented culture comprising a solid portion and a liquid portion; (ii) isolating the liquid portion from the fermented culture; and (iii) drying the isolated liquid portion to yield the dried fermentation extract. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein, in the mixture, the weight ratio of the wheat germ to the yeast is between 4:1-2:1, and the weight ratio of the wheat germ and yeast to water is between 1:6-1:12. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the inflammatory bowel disease is selected from the group consisting of: Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, Collagenous colitis, Lymphocytic colitis, Ischaemic colitis, Diversion colitis, Behçet's disease and Indeterminate colitis. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the subject is administered the dried fermentation extract or a fraction thereof in daily dosages of between 0.1-40 grams per kilogram body weight. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the administration of the dried fermentation extract or a fraction thereof to the subject prevents weight loss in the subject caused by the inflammatory bowel disease. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the administration of the dried fermentation extract or a fraction thereof to the subject reduces intestinal inflammation. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the administration of the dried fermentation extract or a fraction thereof to the subject reduces the severity of mucus membrane inflammation in the subject. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the administration of the dried fermentation extract or a fraction thereof to the subject reduces the weight of the bowel in the subject. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the administration of the dried fermentation extract or a fraction thereof to the subject reduces the levels of TNF-α in the subject. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the administration of the dried fermentation extract or a fraction thereof to the subject reduces granulocyte infiltration in the mucus membrane of the bowel in the subject.